Lore — The Fracture

Core Premise

Earth was “invaded” without an announcement, without diplomacy, and without a war anyone understood. The occupying force is called The Architects—a human label based on observed behavior: they build, reshape, and overwrite the surface with structures that do not match any known purpose.

Humanity survived by going underground. The surface became a place of expeditions, rumor, and necessity. Two major surface-aligned human factions emerged, each claiming a path to survival—each extracting a price.

Tone & Themes

Unknown as a threatThe Architects are never fully explained—answers create deeper questions.

Safety is politicalEvery “safe place” is protected by rules, tradeoffs, and control.

Survival pressureResource scarcity forces hard choices and exposes faction agendas.

Truth is earnedLore is discovered through ruins, artifacts, patterns, and consequences.

World Timeline (high-level)

Day 0 — The Build

Architect structures appear. Infrastructure fails in waves. The surface becomes unstable.

Weeks 1–8 — The Descent

Population centers evacuate underground. Improvised hubs form. “Burrows” become law.

Year 1 — The Split

Surface-aligned factions emerge: one collaborates for access; one “resists” through control.

Now — The Runs

Reclaimer expeditions become routine. Hazard Zones expand. Rumors of patterns grow louder.

The Architects (player-facing rules)

No true name: “Architects” is what humans call them. The truth remains unknown.
Behavior over lore dumps: players learn by observing structures, anomalies, and outcomes.
Intent is ambiguous: their actions can be read as hostile, indifferent, or experimental.
They ‘communicate’ through constraints: doors that open only under conditions, spaces that rearrange, patterns that repeat.

Humanity Underground

The underground is the closest thing to “civilization,” but it is not peaceful. It’s a negotiated truce enforced by survival. Burrows function like city-states: governance varies, but rules are strict because failure spreads.

Burrow CouncilCoalition leadership focused on stability, rationing, and defense.

Ration EconomyFood, filters, and power credits are the true currency.

Reclaimer CultureSurface runners become essential—and feared. They bring supplies and problems.

Myth & RumorStories spread faster than facts. Some are weaponized by factions.

Factions (rep-based, both “bad”)

Surface Faction 1 — CollaboratorsOperate with Architect tolerance. Offer access, gear, and “protection” in exchange for compliance.

Surface Faction 2 — Control RegimeClaims resistance while enforcing order. Controls routes, intel, and black-market supply lines.

Burrow CoalitionThe closest thing to “good.” Focused on survival and mutual defense, but still makes hard calls.

Independent CellsSmall groups above/below ground: smugglers, cults, defectors, scavenger crews.

Hazard Zones

The surface is divided into regions with escalating instability. Hazard Zones are where “normal rules” start to break. They’re harder, stranger, and more rewarding.

Tier 1 — RuinsRecognizable cities/roads. Hostile patrols, scarcity, environmental danger.

Tier 2 — ContaminatedAir quality drops, visibility shifts, audio distortion, anomaly activity increases.

Tier 3 — Architect-DenseGeometry dominates. Navigation changes. Locked spaces open under conditions.

Tier 4 — Fracture ZonesReality feels “misaligned.” Time/space cues break. High-tier loot and story artifacts.

Creatures & Threats

Human threats: faction patrols, raiders, opportunists, deserters.
Architect-adjacent entities: drones, constructs, “maintenance” units with unclear priorities.
Anomaly wildlife: mutated fauna drawn to zones (optional, used sparingly to keep tone grounded).
Environmental threats: storms, ashfall, electromagnetic events, corrosive air pockets.

Glossary

Architect SiteA structure or region reshaped by the occupation.

Reclaimer RunAn expedition above ground to scavenge, retrieve, extract.

BurrowUnderground settlement node with strict rules and ration economy.

FractureRegion or event where physical rules appear misaligned.

Expandable Hooks

Artifact arcs: each major artifact reveals a pattern (not an answer) that points to the next region.
Faction betrayals: reputation unlocks access, then creates moral debt and consequences.
Burrow politics: surface actions ripple underground—shortages, votes, crackdowns.
Weather events: storms that change routes and spawn rare windows for deep runs.

Lore Bible